3 February 2022
Get your entries in for CREST22 Business Awards
THE CREST22 Business Awards in association with the News & Mail are open for entries.
The awards, in their second year, recognise the positive efforts of businesses to protect the environment and promote more sustainable working and lifestyles.
Guests at a launch event at The Lightbox gallery in Woking included headline sponsor Surrey County Council, Surrey University’s Centre for the Environment and Sustainability (CES), Woking MP Jonathan Lord, Woking’s Deputy Mayor Saj Hussain and winners from last year’s awards.
Speaking for Surrey County Council, Cat Halter highlighted the importance of initiatives such as the CREST22 Awards, and of business in general, in limiting the effects of the climate crisis.
“Business is essential to providing sustainable goods and services that not only help people make sustainable choices, but also have a massive impact on the supply chain, which affects emissions outside Surrey.”
Professor Richard Murphy of CES praised the awards for helping to provide hands-on experience for young people in the field of sustainable business.
“At CES we are really keen about practical learning,” he said. “We learn by doing. I don’t think there has ever been a better time for doing serious, hands-on stuff in this area [of sustainability].
“What people want to know is how to do it and how to do it well, and I think these examples from CREST are just the perfect way of being able to show it to everybody.”
Mr Lord said: “As MP for Woking, I’m extremely proud that Woking has played such a proactive role in the awards, but it’s great to see businesses from across the whole of Surrey getting involved and getting such prominent support from CES and Surrey County Council.”
Cllr Hussain also voiced his support for the awards, stressing how important CREST22 and similar initiatives are to establishing a “green economy” and enabling the borough and county councils to reach their goal of net zero emissions.
“We need the green agenda,” he said. “Sustainable business is the way forward. Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council are committed to reaching net zero emissions and initiatives like CREST are how we will achieve it.”
Cabinet member for environment at Surrey County Council, Marisa Heath, said: “Surrey County Council is delighted to be headline sponsor of the CREST22 Awards.
“Our Climate Change Delivery Plan explains how we plan to work with residents and others to become a net zero county by 2050, and businesses have a key role to play in this and securing the future of our county for future generations.”
* THERE are six awards categories: Going Circular; Smarter Transport; Transforming Food; Efficiency Champion; Sustainability Impact; and Sustainability Hero. Entries can be submitted free and are open until 25 March. The awards will be presented at the Living Planet Centre, the headquarters of World Wildlife Fund UK, on 19 May.
More details on the categories and an application template can be found at www.crestawardssurrey.co.uk.
CREDIT: Woking News and Mail
Get your entries in for CREST22 Business Awards – Woking News and Mail
